Cognitive Load Theory (Definition + Examples)
Summary
TLDRThis video explores cognitive load theory, a concept in psychology that explains why we remember some things and forget others. It delves into the workings of memory, focusing on the importance of not overwhelming our working memory for effective learning and communication. The video discusses strategies to reduce cognitive load, such as focusing on single tasks and creating morning routines, and highlights the three types of cognitive load: intrinsic, extrinsic, and germane. By understanding and applying these concepts, one can improve productivity, learning, and teaching methods.
Takeaways
- 🧠 The ability to remember or forget things is rooted in our understanding of memory, emotional focus, and the brain's physical structures.
- 📚 Cognitive Load Theory is pivotal for teaching complex concepts effectively by considering the limitations of working memory.
- 💡 To enhance learning and communication, it's crucial to respect the capacity of working memory and avoid overloading it with too much information at once.
- 🔍 There's no fixed number for the amount of information working memory can handle, but simpler ideas are generally easier to process.
- 🚫 Multitasking is a myth; it increases cognitive load and reduces efficiency because our working memory can't effectively manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
- 🔑 Reducing cognitive load by focusing on one task at a time can lead to increased productivity and decreased stress.
- 🌅 Establishing a morning routine can be a practical strategy to decrease cognitive load and enhance daily productivity.
- 👨🏫 Teachers and instructors can manipulate cognitive load by adjusting the way they present information to students, aiming to reduce the extrinsic cognitive load.
- 📈 Understanding the three types of cognitive load—Intrinsic, Extrinsic, and Germaine—can help educators design more effective learning experiences.
- 🔗 Skillshare, as mentioned in the script, offers a variety of courses that can help individuals manage their cognitive load and enhance their skills.
Q & A
What is the central question within psychology that the video script addresses?
-The central question within psychology addressed in the video script is why we remember some things but forget others.
What factors influence our ability to remember information according to cognitive load theory?
-According to cognitive load theory, the ability to remember information is influenced by the cognitive load, which takes into account the complexity of the information, the method of teaching, and the structures and workings of the brain.
What is working memory and how does it relate to long-term memory?
-Working memory is a cognitive system that temporarily holds information for processing or manipulation. It is the short-term storage of information that can be easily accessed and is directly related to long-term memory, as information that is frequently used or deemed important is transferred from working memory to long-term memory.
What are the three types of cognitive load mentioned in the script?
-The three types of cognitive load mentioned in the script are intrinsic cognitive load, extrinsic cognitive load, and germane cognitive load.
How can cognitive load theory be applied to improve self-development?
-Cognitive load theory can be applied to self-development by reducing multitasking, focusing on one task at a time, and creating a morning routine to decrease cognitive load and increase productivity.
What is the role of schema in long-term memory according to the video script?
-Schema in long-term memory are structures that help organize and hold information. They provide context and make new information related to those schemas easier to remember.
Why is it important to respect the limitations of working memory when learning new concepts?
-Respecting the limitations of working memory is important because overloading it can lead to information being forgotten and not effectively transferred to long-term memory, which hinders learning.
How does the video script suggest reducing cognitive load during learning?
-The video script suggests reducing cognitive load during learning by focusing on one task at a time, simplifying the teaching method, and creating a structured learning environment.
What is the significance of the cognitive load theory in teaching complex concepts?
-The cognitive load theory is significant in teaching complex concepts because it helps educators understand how to present information in a way that minimizes the cognitive load on students, making it easier for them to process and retain the information.
How does the video script link cognitive load theory with stress reduction and productivity?
-The video script links cognitive load theory with stress reduction and productivity by illustrating that managing cognitive load through focused attention and structured learning can lead to less stress and increased efficiency in daily tasks.
Outlines
🧠 Understanding Memory and Cognitive Load
This paragraph delves into the psychology of memory, emphasizing the importance of understanding how we remember and forget information. It introduces cognitive load theory as a key concept for improving learning and communication. The narrator explains the role of working memory in processing and storing information, the concept of schemas in long-term memory, and how cognitive load theory can be applied to teaching and daily life. The paragraph also touches on the idea of reducing cognitive load by focusing on single tasks and avoiding multitasking, which can lead to increased productivity and reduced stress.
🌞 Leveraging Cognitive Load Theory for Personal Productivity
The second paragraph focuses on practical applications of cognitive load theory to enhance personal productivity. It discusses the myth of multitasking and suggests that focusing on one task at a time can be more efficient. The narrator shares a personal anecdote about managing multiple projects and the stress associated with it, highlighting the benefits of prioritizing and tackling tasks sequentially. The paragraph also promotes Skillshare as a resource for learning, mentioning a specific course on creating a morning routine that has positively impacted the narrator's daily productivity. The concept of cognitive load is further explored through the discussion of intrinsic, extrinsic, and germane cognitive loads, explaining how teachers and instructors can manipulate these to improve learning outcomes.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Memory
💡Cognitive Load Theory
💡Working Memory
💡Long-term Memory
💡Schema
💡Intrinsic Cognitive Load
💡Extrinsic Cognitive Load
💡Germane Cognitive Load
💡Multitasking
💡Skillshare
Highlights
The video explores why we remember some things and forget others, focusing on the cognitive, emotional, and physical aspects of memory.
Understanding memory can improve study effectiveness and communication of memorable messages.
Cognitive load theory is introduced as a way to teach and communicate complex concepts more effectively.
Working memory's role in processing and storing information is crucial for learning and memory formation.
Long-term memory contains schemas that help organize and relate information.
Cognitive load theory emphasizes the importance of not overwhelming working memory to enhance learning.
The video discusses how multitasking can increase cognitive load and decrease productivity.
Focusing on single tasks can reduce cognitive load and improve efficiency.
A morning routine can help decrease cognitive load and increase daily productivity.
Skillshare is highlighted as a resource for learning and development, with a special mention of a morning rituals course.
There are three types of cognitive load: intrinsic, extrinsic, and germane, each affecting learning differently.
Intrinsic cognitive load is determined by the difficulty of the information being taught.
Extrinsic cognitive load is influenced by the teaching method's effectiveness and clarity.
Germane cognitive load is associated with the creation of new schemas for understanding complex concepts.
The video concludes by emphasizing the practical applications of cognitive load theory for focused learning.
Skillshare is offered as a valuable platform for learning with a special free trial for viewers.
Transcripts
why do you remember some things but
forget other things
this is a central question within
psychology and the answer relies on
knowledge of memory
emotion focus and the physical
structures and the workings of the brain
when you know the answer of why we
remember some things you can study more
effectively
communicate a message that people
remember and manipulate the way that you
and the others see the world
this video will describe the cognitive
load theory and how you can use it to
teach
communicate and share information like
complex concepts
i'm also going to be going over how to
use such a simple idea to be less
stressed and more productive as you go
out throughout your day
teachers designers and even guys like me
use principles of this theory every day
even if we don't know that we're using
it and once you understand this concept
you will find that your approach to
learning and teaching is more
intentional strategic
and effective but before continuing i
want to give a huge shout out to
skillshare for sponsoring this video
we'll talk more about them later so
cognitive load theory looks at the way
that we consider
working memory while teaching complex
concepts or solving problems
and before we talk about this theory we
must talk about something called working
memory
when you see something hear something or
take in any type of information through
your senses
it enters what psychologists call
sensory memory
and from here your brain quickly filters
out information that is irrelevant
if you're intentionally devoting your
focus to a video game for example
the sound of the wind or the smell of
your food cooking in the next room
is forgotten the information that is
relevant goes into your working memory
now once the information is moved to
your working memory your brain begins to
process it
or decides to forget it and the ultimate
goal is to store the important
information into your long-term memory
psychologists believe that within
long-term memory are structures of
information
hierarchies these structures are called
schema and they help you relate to
individual pieces of information
to other pieces of information within
the schema of your video game for
example
you may have information about what each
button on your controller does
or the backstory of a specific character
the first time you used your controller
or played a game
information about each button was in
your working memory you rehearsed and
worked with the information long enough
that it's now in your long-term memory
and it's easy to retrieve every time you
pick up the controller but
not all information that's important
goes from your working memory
ends up in your long-term memory and why
is that in some cases it's because
you're overwhelming your working memory
and this is exactly what cognitive load
theory is all about
so long term memory is like a computer
with unlimited data storage
working memory on the other hand can
only process a few pieces of information
at a time
if we fail to come back to the
information in our working memory it'll
be dropped it'll be forgotten forever
cognitive load theory suggests that if
we want to learn more effectively
we must respect this reality and only
load up
a few pieces of information into our
working memory at a time
if we load up on too much we will be
more likely to forget and won't connect
information that we're trying to learn
now there's no set number when it comes
to the pieces of information that can be
held in our working memory
our age and our development influence
how much of a cognitive load
that each person can take on at once in
general the simpler the ideas are the
easier it will be to process them and
store them in long-term memory
the creator of the cognitive load theory
john sweller
also did a lot of work to describe the
different types of cognitive load and
how instructors can strategize their
materials and lessons to lighten the
load and help students learn more
effectively
i'm going to go over these three types
of cognitive loads in a little bit
but first let's learn how we can use the
cognitive load theory in our own
self-development
did you know multitasking is a myth you
may be encouraged by your colleagues
managers or society at large
to get everything done at once and to
save time in reality though
multitasking does not save time you
cannot hold all the relevant information
and multiple tasks
in your working memory when you switch
back and forth between two different
tasks or three different tasks
or sometimes more than five different
tasks your mind has to go through a
mental shift
leaving behind some of the information
from the previous task
now these shifts take up more time and
cognitive power than you might think
so a simple trick here is to reduce your
cognitive load by focusing on only one
task at a time
put down your phone turn off the tv and
give your brain less to work with
by doing this the cognitive load is
lighter once you're done with the task
you can more effectively put all of the
relevant information aside
and focus fully on the next task the
trick here is that you'll save time
and reduce your chance for getting
information as you shift back and forth
in fact understanding cognitive load
seems to help the most when we realize
we can take advantage of it
by not trying to tackle multiple
projects at once
i recently have been building a house to
live in while also training a dog
working on this channel and i basically
found myself very stressed
i think a lot of it is because i wasn't
able to fully commit to each project
however once i prioritized each project
by itself
and completed them one by one instead of
all at the same time
i found each project much more enjoyable
and since then i've been feeling less
stressed
now if you're interested in learning how
to decrease your cognitive load one of
the best ways to do that is to come up
with a morning routine
i recently took a course on skillshare
titled morning rituals
how to create a morning routine it
outlines important routines
that i found very helpful in making my
mornings much more productive
something new that i recently added was
practicing gratitude which seems really
simple and cliche and is in all the
books
but felipa explained it in a new way
that resonated with me
and has actually been affecting my daily
mood with over 3 000 students in the
course when i first saw it
i decided to go through it and i highly
recommend this class
skillshare actually sponsored this video
and if you don't know about them by now
they are an online learning platform
with over 17 000 classes
and the price point is very affordable
one of these classes in my opinion
is worth way more than the monthly fee
that they charge a premium membership
costs less than ten dollars per month if
you pay annually
it's a little bit more if you pay by the
month but still very affordable and if
you're interested
the first 1000 people to click the link
in the description below will actually
get a free trial of skillshare premium
but back to cognitive load so there are
three types of cognitive load that may
or may not be manipulated by teachers or
instructors
and this is going to get a little
technical so here we go the first type
is intrinsic
cognitive load this refers to the level
of difficulty of information
that someone is wanting to share for
example the theory of cognitive
load has a little bit more of an
intrinsic cognitive load
than say a mathematical fact like 4
times 4
equals 16. now you need to know
instructors and teachers can't
manipulate the intrinsic cognitive load
but you should be aware of it whenever
you're teaching something like this
secondly we have something called
extrinsic cognitive load
and this is the method in which the
information is taught to the students
so if it's really distracting or it's
ineffective these teaching methods
increase extrinsic cognitive load and
the goal of teachers or mentors
whether they know it or not is to reduce
extrinsic cognitive load
and communicate information in a simple
effective way so as an example let's
look at two ways you can teach a simple
fact
christopher columbus arrived in the
americas in 1492
so one of the ways to teach this
information is to say in 1492
columbus sailed the ocean blue which a
lot of people have heard and you can
just say it a few times throughout the
day
another way to teach this information is
to show students a painting of
christopher columbus sailing towards the
americas
holding some sort of decree or a scroll
that says the year is 1492.
obviously the first method is going to
have a lot less cognitive load it's
easier to remember
and the information is already organized
for our brain there's a little rhyme to
it
students who learn this rhyme will
commit it to long-term memory faster
it has a lower extrinsic cognitive load
now the third type of cognitive load is
germaine cognitive load
and this type of load occurs when we are
creating a new schema for this concept
schema as i mentioned earlier in the
video are structures in which we
organize and hold information
they provide context and make new
information related to those schemas
easier to remember
so let's say you enter a woodworking
workshop with no prior knowledge of the
craft
one instructor starts a workshop by
introducing to you all the tools that
you will use in woodworking
now another teacher dives into a
complicated project asking you to grab
tools
that you're unfamiliar with grab this
grab that the second teacher is
increasing your cognitive load
you've got to play catch-up as you
attempt to build a more complicated
schema
with information that you do not already
have in your long-term memory
it's kind of confusing and i'm not going
to get too detailed in this video
but as you can see the different types
of cognitive load can be manipulated
and a smart teacher will keep these in
mind as they choose materials
and create a lesson plan and ending this
video
cognitive load theory feels like common
sense but in a world full of
distractions
it's nice to remember every now and then
all you have to do is reduce your load
to help you stay focused
thank you guys so much for watching this
video i hope you learned something and
don't forget to check out skillshare if
you haven't already
remember the first thousand people to
click the link in the description below
will get a free trial of skillshare
premium where you can check out all of
their interesting and amazing classes
see you in the next video
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